Substitute Senate Bill No. 1497 proposes several amendments to the laws governing the Department of Agriculture (DoAg). It establishes that the State Veterinarian will be an employee of the Department and allows the Commissioner of Agriculture to designate other veterinarians to exercise the State Veterinarian's authority. The bill stipulates that any emergency or temporary appointments must utilize existing resources and comply with specific provisions. Additionally, it modifies the registration process for fertilizers and soil amendments by capping the registration fee at $75, which will be determined by the commissioner, and clarifies that distributors are not required to register fertilizers or soil amendments already registered by another party, provided the labels do not differ materially.

Moreover, the bill alters the cost structure for dog tags, allowing the commissioner to charge municipalities the actual costs incurred for procuring and distributing these tags, rather than a fixed price of five cents each. It also removes the requirement for the commissioner to report any remaining balance after covering the costs of dog tag distribution to the comptroller. These changes aim to streamline processes within the DoAg while ensuring compliance with updated regulations and maintaining fiscal responsibility, with anticipated minimal revenue gains for the General Fund from soil amendment registrations and slight increases in costs for municipalities related to dog tag distribution. The bill is effective upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 22-111c, 22-111bb
ENV Joint Favorable Substitute: 22-111c, 22-111bb
File No. 671: 22-111c, 22-111bb